Reel feed mat winding machine



Nov. 28, 1961 A. L. MGPHERSON ETAI. 3,010,668

REEL FEED MAT WINDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1957 1961 A. 1.. MCPHERSON ET AL REEL FEED MAT WINDING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mrs/vines m EXHNDEE L. M P1151250 f/HROLD 6. 59/45) HRH/w? STEVENS Val/AW K1. USCH ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1961 A. MCPHERSON ETA]. 3,010,668

REEL FEED MAT WINDING MACHINE File d April 8, 1957 e Sheets-Sheet 3 m/vavrops F, 5 HHROLD e. 5-q/LEY 14/271101? D. ST'VE/VS \TOHAI 405.07

k ATTORNEY 1-951 A. L. MCPHERSON Ei'AL 3,010,668

REEL FEED MAT WINDING MACHINE heets-Sheet 4 Filed April 8, 1957 M/ YENTOIQS Hum/ms? l. M P1151 50 M92040 6. same-y Hen/w? D. STEVENS AML ATTORNEY 1961 A. L. MOPHERSON ETA]. 3,010,668

REEL FEED MAT WINDING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 'rroRNEY Nov. 28, 1961 A. L. MCPHERSON ETAI. 3,010,668

REEL FEED MAT WINDING MACHINE e Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 8, 1957 Owm United States Patent 3,010,668 REEL FEED MAT VENDING MACHINE Alexander L. McPherson, Prairie Village, Kans., and Arthur D. Stevens, Cuyahoga Falls, Harold G. Bailey, Akron, and John Klusch, Alliance, Ohio, assignors to Gustin-Bacon Manufacturing Company, Kansas City,

Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Apr. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 651,341 11 Claims. (Cl. 24 2-55.1)

Our invention relates to a reel feed mat winding machine and more particularly to a reel feed mat winding machine which represents an improvement over mat winding machines of the prior art.

As is known in the prior art, lengths of a mat or wt of resin-impregnated fibrous material are Wrapped about mandrels in the manufacture of tubes of insulating material. If a satisfactory tube having a uniform wall thickness and density is to be made, it is essential that the mandrel being wrapped be firmly held and accurately located in a fixed position during the winding operation.

The copending application of Frederick N. Stephens et al., Serial No. 430,012, filed May 17, 1954, now Patent No. 2,848,175, discloses a linear feed mat winding machine in which mandrels to be Wrapped are supported by a pair of chain conveyors which are driven to move the mandrels to a position at which they may be acted upon by the mat winding unit of the machine. We have invented a mat winding machine which embodies an improvement over the machine disclosed in the said copending application. Our improved machine provides a firmer support for and more accurately locates mandrels being fed to a mat winding unit than does the chain conveyor disclosed in the copending application. Our improved machine firmly supports a mandrel being wrapped in a fixed position during a winding operation. Our machine is compact in that it occupies a relatively small space as compared with machines of the prior art. Our improved machine includes a simple winding unit for wrapping lengths of impregnated fibrous material about mandrels.

One object of our invention is to provide a reel feed mat winding machine which firmly supports and accurately locates mandrels being fed to a mat winding unit.

Another object of our invention is to provide a reel feed mat winding machine which firmly holds a mandrel being wrapped in a fixed position during a winding operation.

A further object of our invention is to provide a reel feed mat winding machine which is compact.

Yet another object of our invention is to provide a reel feed mat Winding machine which includes a simple mat winding unit for wrapping lengths of material about mandrels.

In general our invention contemplates the provision of a reel feed mat winding machine including a reel having means for firmly supporting mandrels fed to the reel. The reel receives mandrels to be wrapped at a location remote from the winding unit of the machine. We provide means for driving the reel to move the mandrel supporting means from the location at which mandrels are fed to the reel to the mat winding unit. The mat winding unit of our machine includes a pair of pocket forming rolls and an endless belt carried by the rolls. Our machine includes means for moving the pocket forming rolls from positions at which they form a pocket of the belt about a mandrel to be. wrapped to positions at which a length of belt is extended between the rolls.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

3,910,558 Patented Nov. 28, 1961 FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of our reel feed mat winding machine.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of our reel feed mat winding machine taken along the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of our reel feed mat winding machine with some parts removed and with other parts broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of the winding unit of our reel feed mat winding machine showing the action of the pocket forming rolls.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of our reel feed mat winding machine showing the mandrel support means used on our reel.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view showing one of the reel supporting rollers of our reel feed mat winding machine.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of our reel feed mat Winding machine showing an alternate form of mandrel feed mechanism.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary elevation of our reel feed mat winding machine showing the alternate form of mandrel feed mechanism shown in FIGURE 7 with parts removed and other parts broken away taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawings, our reel fed mat winding machine includes a retangular base, indicated generally by the reference character 19, having a front 12, sides 14 and 16, and a back 18. A plurality of respective supports 20, 22, and 24 carried by base 10 are bolted or otherwise secured to a first circular end plate 26 of our machine. A plurality of support members 28, 29 and 31 support the other circular end plate 30 of our machine. A plurality of beams 32, 34, and 36 are bolted or otherwise secured between plates 26 and 30.

As can be seen by reference to FIGURES 1 to 3 and 6, we form each of the end plates 26 and 30 with a plurality of slots 38 spaced around its periphery. The sides of each of the slots 38 engage grooves 40 formed in the sides of blocks 42. Each block 42 carries a fixed stub shaft 44 on which we rotatably mount a grooved roller 46. A plurality of bolts 48 threaded into blocks 42 have heads 50 which bear against the edge of the plate 26 or 30 carrying the associated blocks. It will readily be appreciated that the position of a block 42 in its slot 38 may be adjusted by turning the associated'bolt 48. We hang one of the annular end members 52 of the reel of our machine on the rollers .46 carried by plate 26. We hang the other annular end member 54 of the reel of our machine on the rollers 46 carried by end plate 30. Each of the members 52 and 54 rests in the grooves of its supporting rollers 46. It will be appreciated that the positions of the blocks 42 may be adjusted to provide a firm support for members 52 and 54 while permitting the members to rotate.

A motor 56 carried by base 10 drives a shaft 58 which is the input shaft of a gear box 60 having an output shaft 62. A coupling 64 connects shaft 62 to the input shaft 66 of a gear box 68 having an output shaft 70 rotatably supported in a bearing 72 carried by the base 10. Shaft 70 carries for rotation therewith respective gears 74 and 76, the teeth of which engage respective sets of teeth 78 and 80 formed on the peripheries of members 52 and 54. It will be appreciated that when shaft 70 rotates, gears 74 and 76 drive the reel and members 52 and 54 as a unit.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 5, we rotatably mount pairs of rollers 82 and 84 on respective stub shafts 86 and 88 carried by each of the members 52 and 54 adjacent their peripheries. We space the pairs of rollers 82 and 84 around the peripheries of members 52 and 54, Each of the pairs of rollers is adapted to receive the end of a mandrel shaft indicated in phantom at 90 in FIGURE 5. Each of a plurality of respective pins 92 rotatably supported by the members 52 and 54, adjacent the pairs of rollers 82 and 84, carries a respective latch 94 for rotation with it. The end of each pin 92 remote from the end of the pin carrying a latch 94 supports for rotation with it a crank arm 96. Each of a number of respective springs 98 connected at one end to an arm 96 and at the other end to a pin 100 normally urges its associated shaft 92 to rotate in a direction to move latch 94 toward the corresponding pair of rollers 84 and 86. The end of each arm 96 remote from pin 92 pivotally supports a cam follow roller 102 adapted to engage a cam track 104 on an end plate 26 or 30. Each of the plates 26 and 30 carries a guide 106 for ensuring that the rollers 102 leave the high portions of tracks 104 as the reel steps.

We provide a magazine 108 supported adjacent the reel including members 52 and 54 for feeding mandrels 110, having shafts 90, to respective pairs of rollers 82 and 84 carried by the members 52 and 54. The magazine is provided with feed mechanisms 114 having fingers 116 which normally prevent a mandrel from moving out of the magazine. Guides 118 direct the mandrels toward the reel. When a mandrel is to be fed, the fingers 116 are withdrawn to permit the mandrel to fall into the space between members 52 and 54. Each of the mandrel shaft ends falls into the space between a latch 94 and the associated pair of rollers 84 and 82. It is to be noted that in this position of a corresponding pair of latches 94, the contour of cam surface 104 is such that the latch ends are moved away from the associated pairs of rollers 82 and 84. In this position of the latches, however, each of the ends of a mandrel shaft 90 coming from the magazine is caught between a latch and a pair of rollers. Blocks 85 associated with the respective pairs of rollers 82 and 84 and carried by reel members 52 and 54 form the backs of the mandrel shaft end receiving pockets when the latches are open. After a mandrel has been fed to the reel, the reel is stepped in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE .1.- As the reel is stepped, the rollers 102 ride off the high portion of cam 104 and springs 98 urge the latches 94 toward the pairs of rollers 86 and 88 to hold the ends of the mandrel shaft 90 firmly against the rollers.

Each time the reel is stepped, an empty mandrel is presented to the Winding unit, indicated generally by the reference character 120, of our machine. Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2, and 4 the unit includes a pair of respective upper arms 122 and 124 having hubs 126 and 128 intermediate the arm ends. Any convenient means such as set screws 130 and 132 secure hubs 126 and 128 to a shaft 134 for rotation therewith. Bearings 136 and 138 on the respective end plates 26 and 30 rotatably support shaft 134.

We rotatably mount a lower arm shaft 140 in bearings 4 mediate the length of the arms by nuts 200 and 202 rotatably carries a guide roll 204.

Winding unit 120 includes an endless belt 206 carried by rolls 180, 172, 164, and 188 and guided by rolls 196 and 204. Belt 206 surrounds a drive roll 208 carried by a shaft 210 driven by a motor 212 disposed on a platform 7 214 carried by the base 10. Respective shafts 216 and 142 and 144 fixed on the respective plates 26 and 30. Set

screws 146 and 148 fix the hubs 150 and 152 of the winding unit lower arms 154 and 156 on shaft 140 for rotation with the shaft. We secure the ends of a shaft 158 to the lower ends of arms 122 and 124 as viewed in FIGURE 2 by means of nuts 160 and 162. Shaft 158 rotatably carries a first pocket forming roll 164 of wind ing unit 120. We secure the ends of a shaft 166 to the upper ends of arms 154'and 156 as viewed in FIGURE 2 by means of nuts 168 and 170. Shaft 166 rotatably carries the second pocket forming roll 172 of unit 120. Respective nuts 174 and 176 secure the ends of a shaft 178 to the upper ends of arms 122 and 124 as viewed in FIGURE 2. Shaft 178 rotatably carries a belt supporting roll 180 of unit 120. Respective nuts 182 and 184 secure the ends of 'a shaft 186 to the lower ends of arms 154 and 156 as viewed in FIGURE 2. Shaft 186 rotatably carries a belt supporting roll 188 of the unit120.

A shaft 190 secured between arms 122 and 124 at a point intermediate the length of the arms by nuts 192 and 194 rotatably carries another guide roll 196. A shaft 198 fixed between arms 154 and 156 at a position inter- 218 extending between plates 26 and 30 rotatably carry respective idler rolls 220 and 222 around which belt 206 extends. Respective bearings 224 and 226 carried by plates 30 and 26 rotatably support a shaft 228. We secure an arm 230 to the end of shaft 228 outboard of side plate 26 by any convenient means such as a set screw 232 or the like. We mount a pair of arms 234 and 236 on shaft 228 adjacent the inboard surfaces of plates 30 and 26 for rotation with the shaft 228. A shaft 238 fixed between the ends of arms 234 and 236 remote from shaft 228 rotatably carries the belt tensioning roll 240 of unit 120. We fix a spring 242 between the end of arm 230 remote from shaft 228 and the end of an arm 244 pivoted on a pin 246 carried by the plate 26. We pivotally mount a block 248 adjacent the end of arm 244 remote from pin 246. A threaded stud 252 pivotally carried by a pin 254 on plate 26 passes through a bore in block 248 and threadably engages the interior of a hollow rod 250. The end of rod 250, into which stud 252 extends, pivotally engages a socket in the block 248 under the action of spring 242. It will be appreciated that as rod 250 turns in either direction, the arm 244 moves to vary the tension on spring 242 and thus the tension on the winding belt 206. We provide the end of rod 250 remote from stud 252 with a crank handle 256 by means of which the rod may be rotated. A bracket 258 secured to the discharge conveyor structure, to be described hereinafter, by means of bolts 260 loosely supports rod 250.

We employ respective keys 262 and 264 to mount meshing segmental gears 266 and 268 on the ends of shafts 134 and 140 outboard of plate 26. An arm 270 pivotally carried by a pin 272 on plate 26 carries a pin 274 intermediate its length on which we mount the cylinder 276 of a piston and cylinder assembly including a piston 278. We connect the end of arm 27 0 remote from pin 272 to a rod 280 by means of a pin 282. Respective nuts 284 and 286 adjustably position the end of rod 280 remote from pin 282 in a bracket 288 carried by plate 26. Piston 278 carries a rod 290 pivotally connected to gear 266 by a pin 292. When fluid under pressure is admitted to cylinder 276 behind piston 278, gears 266 and 268 are driven in the direction of the arrows B and B shown in FIGURES l and 4 to move the pocket forming rolls 164 and 172 to the open position where a straight length of belt 206 extends between the rolls. This is the position of the rolls of winding unit shown in broken lines in FIGURE 4. The assembly including arm 270 and rod 280 permits adjustment of the open and closed positions of rolls 164 and 172.

Each of plates 26 and 30 carries a belt tracking device 294 of a type known to the art. Each of the devices 294 includes a roller 296 extending through an opening in the plate to engage an edge of the belt 206 to center the belt in a'manner known to the art.

After a mandrel has been wrapped by the unit 120, and as the reel including members 52 and 54 is stepped in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE 1, the rollers 102 associated with the latches 104 engaging the mandrel shaft ends of the wrapped mandrel ride onto the high portion of track 104 to release the mandrel shaft ends. At a point in the reel rotation following the point at which the latches 94 engaging a wrapped mandrel are released, we dispose a discharge conveyor indicated generally by the reference character 298 including a pair of spaced pitch chains 300, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. Each of the chains 300 carries along its length spaced mandrel end engaging members 302. The disposition of a chain is such that as it travels in the direction of the arrow C of FIGURE 1, a member 302 on the chain engages the end of a wrapped mandrel shaft which has been released by a latch 94. The shaft 70 which drives gears 74 and 76 to drive the reel including members 52 and 54 carries a pair of sprocket wheels 304, one of which is shown in FIGURE 1, which drive the chains 300. Idler sprocket wheels 306 adjustably mounted by studs 308 in slots 310 formed in brackets 312 supported on the machine frame provide a. means for adjusting the discharge conveyor tension.

Our machine includes a conveyor, indicated generally by the reference character 314 for feeding a length 316 of a mat of impregnated fibrous material to the lower nip between belt 206 and the mandrel to be wrapped.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 8 we have invented an alternate form of the means for feeding empty mandrels to the reel of our machine. A pair of supports 318 and 320 carried by the frame of discharge conveyor 298 support a framework indicated generally by the reference character 322. We mount a pair of spaced hearings 324 on framework 322 for rotatably carrying a feed conveyor shaft 326 on which we mount respective pitch chain sprocket wheels 328, one of which is shown in FIGURE 7. Respective chains 330 one of which is shown in FIGURE 7 are driven by sprocket wheels 328 to form the feed conveyor for our machine. Mandrel end support members 332 fixed on chains 330 are constructed to support mandrels on the conveyor. Any suitable means known to the art such as a motor (not shown) may be used to drive shaft 326 to drive the sprocket wheels 328 to move the conveyor formed by chains 330. We space successive supports 332 along the length of chains 330 and select the speed of the chain drive to coordinate the action of the feed conveyor with the remainder of the machine.

It will be seen that as chains 330 move in the direction of the arrow D in FIGURE 7, empty mandrels from discharge conveyor 298 placed on the carriers 332 of the feed conveyor will be carried around to a guide 334 which guides the mandrel to a position at which they may be fed to the reel. Respective bearings 336 and 338 carried by members 320 and 318 rotatably support a shaft 340. We mount a pair of spaced mandrel end receiving arms 342 and 344 on shaft 340 for rotation with the shaft. Any convenient means such as a key 346 fixes the hub 348 of a crank arm 350 on an end of shaft 340 extending outboard of member 318. A fitting 352 pivotally connects one end of a rod 354 to a pin 356 supported in the end of crank 350 remote from hub 348. A fitting 358 connects the other end of rod 354 to a pin 360 carried by a crank 362 fixed on a shaft 364 rotatably supported in a bearing 366 secured to member 24. A spring 368 extending between a bracket 370 on crank 362 and a bracket 372 carried by frame member 14 actuates the crank to move a cam follower roller 374 into engagement with the surface of a cam 376 secured to shaft 70 for rotation with the shaft by any suitable means such as a key 378. It will be remembered that shaft 70 is driven to step the reel of our machine and to drive discharge conveyor 298. As shaft 70 rotates a high portion of cam 376 engages roller 374 to move rod 354 upwardly to pivot shaft 340 in a counterclockwise direction to move arms 342 and 344 to the broken line position shown in FIGURE 7. When the high portion of cam 376 leaves the roller 374 the parts return to the full line position shown in FIGURE 7. We so arrange the feed conveyor that in the full line position of arms 342 and 344 an empty mandrel is fed to the arms.

On the next step in operation of the reel the arms are swung downwardly to position the mandrel shaft ends so that respective open pockets each formed by a latch 94, a pair of rollers 82 and 84 and a block 85 pass over the mandrel ends to lift the mandrel off the arms 342 and 344. As the step of the reel is completed a high portion of cam 76 leaves roller 374 to permit arms 342 and 344 to return to the full line position under the action of spring 368. In this position the arms are again ready to receive an empty mandrel from the feed conveyor formed by chains 330. It is to be understood, that we have arranged the parts of our machine so that a fresh mandrel is fed to the reel each time a Wrapped mandrel is removed from the reel.

In operation of our reel feed mat winding machine, mandrels to be Wrapped are fed to the reel from magazine 108 by the release mechanisms including fingers 116. Each time the reel including members 52 and 54 is stepped, a pair of corresponding open latches 94 adapted to receive an empty mandrel shaft are presented to magazine 188. After the mandrel has been fed to the open latches, the reel is again stepped. It will be remembered that between each pair of successive steps of the reel, a winding operation is completed by the unit As the reel is stepped from a position where a pair of open latches 94 and blocks 85 received an empty mandrel, the followers 102 corresponding to the latches leave the high portion 104 of the machine cam track and springs 98 actuate latches 94 to move the mandrel shaft ends into engagement with the pairs of rollers 82 and 84. As the machine continues in operation, the empty mandrel arrives at the mat winding unit 120. It is to be understood, of course, that during movement of the reel including mem bers 52 and 54 fluid under pressure is admitted behind piston 78 to move the mat winding unit 120 to the open position of rolls 164 and 172 shown in FIGURE 4 in broken lines. At the end of a step of rotation of the reel, fluid under pressure is admitted to cylinder 276 to act on the face of piston 278 to return the rolls 164 and 172 to the wrapping position shown in full lines in FIGURE 4. In this condition of a unit, rolls 164 and 172 form a pocket of belt 206 about an empty mandrel to be wrapped. In the course of a winding operation, motor 212 drives roll 208 to drive the belt and wrap a length of material 316 about the empty mandrel. Upon completion of the winding operation, the unit 120 again opens to permit the reel to step.

As the reel is stepped and a wrapped mandrel moves toward discharge conveyor 298, the high portion of cam track 104' actuates latches 94 to permit members 302 of the discharge conveyor to lift the mandrel ends off the reel and to carry the mandrel away from the machine.

In use of the form of mandrel feed means shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 before the reel steps arms 342 and 344 occupy the full line position shown in FIGURE 7 and receive an empty mandrel from the feed conveyor formed by chains 330. In the course of the next stepping operation of the reel cam 376 actuates rod 354 to move arms 342 and 344 to the broken line position shown in FIGURE 7 in which position a pair of mandrel end receiving pockets each formed by a latch 94, a pair of rollers 82 and 84 and a block 85 may carry the mandrel off the arms. As the reel stepping movement is completed spring 368 returns the arms to the full line position shown in FIGURE 7.

It will be seen that we have accomplished the objects of our invention. We have provided a reel feed mat winding machine which firmly holds mandrels in a fixed posi tion during a wrapping operation. Our machine accurately positions a mandrel for winding to ensure the formation of a tube of insulation having a uniformly thick and uniformly dense wall. Our machine is more compact than similar machines of the prior art.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of our claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of our claims without departing from the spirit of our invention. It is therefore to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

I. In a mat winding machine for wrapping lengths of a mat of fibrous material about mandrels a mat winding unit including respective pairs of arms, means pivotally intermediate the lengths of the arms of each pair, respec-- tive pocket forming rolls supported between one pair of corresponding ends of the arms of each pair, respective guide rolls supported between the other corresponding ends of the arms of each pair, an endless belt extending around said pocket forming rolls and said guide rolls and means moving said pairs of arms about their pivot points alternately to form a pocket of said belt about a mandrel being wrapped and to extend a length of said belt between said pocket forming rolls.

2. A mat winding unit as in claim 1 including second guide rolls supported by the respective pairs of arms at locations intermediate the length of the arms of the pair, said belt being arranged to pass over said second guide rolls.

3. A mat Winding unit as in claim 1 in which said arm mounting means comprises respective shafts, and in which said arm moving means comprises means for rocking said shafts.

4. A mat winding machine for wrappinglengths of a mat of fibrous material about mandrels including in combination a frame, a mat winding unit, a rigid reel rotatably carried by said frame, means mounting said mat winding unit at a fixed location on said frame substantially within the space enclosed by said reel, means for supporting a plurality of respective mandrels on said reel, each of said mandrels supporting means being adapted to receive an empty mandrel at a first location remote from said winding unit, a feed conveyor for carrying empty mandrels to said reel, means for stepping said reel from said first location to said unit successively to present mandrels carried by said supporting means to said unit and means responsive to said stepping means for transferring an empty mandrel from said feed conveyor to said mandrel supporting means at said first location.

5. A mat winding machine as in claim 4 including a removal conveyor for removing a wrapped mandrel at a second location remote from said winding unit, said reel stepping means being adapted to move said reel from said unit to said second location and means for coordinating the operation of said removal conveyor with said transfer means.

6. A mat winding machine as in claim 4 in which said transfer means includes a shaft, means carried by said shaft for receiving an empty mandrel from said feed conveyor and means responsive to said reel stepping means for actuating said shaft to move said mandrel receiving means from a position at which it receives a mandrel from said feed conveyor to a position at which itdelivers an empty mandrel to said mandrel supporting means.

7. A mat winding machine for wrapping lengths of a mat of fibrous material about mandrels including in combination a frame, a winding unit carried by said frame, a first rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said first mandrel support member for movement about an axis of rotation with respect to said frame and said winding unit carried by the frame, a second rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said second support member in spaced relationship to said first mandrel support member for movement about said axis of rotation with respect to said frame and the winding unit carried by the frame, said mandrel support member mounting means comprising rollers carried by said frame, said winding unit being disposed substantially within the space between said mandrel support members, means on said mandrel support members for carrying a mandrel in a fixed position on said members and means for driving said mandrel support members to move said mandrel carrying means from a position at which they receive a mandrel to a position at which a received mandrel may be acted upon by said unit.

8. A mat winding machine for wrapping lengths of a mat of fibrous material about mandrels including in combination a frame, a winding unit carried by said frame,

a first rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said first mandrel support member for movement about an of rotation with respect .to said frame and said winding unit carried by the frame, a second rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said second support member in spaced relationship to said first mandrel support member for movement about said axis of rotation with respect to said frame and the winding unit carried by the frame, said winding unit being disposed substantially Within the space between said mandrel support members, means on said mandrel support members for carrying a mandrel in a fixed position on said members, *said mandrel carrying means comprising a pair of rollers adapted to receive a mandrel end and comprising means for latching said mandrel end into position on said rollers and means for driving said mandrel support members to move said mandrel support carrying means from a position at which they receive a mandrel to a position at which a received mandrel may be acted upon by said unit.

9. A mat winding machine for wrapping lengths of a mat of fibrous material. about mandrels including in combination. a frame, a winding unit carried by said frame, a first rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said first mandrel support member for movement about an axis of rotation with respect to said frame and said winding unit carried by the frame, a second rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said second support member in spaced relationship to said first mandrel support member for movement about said axis of rotation with respect to said frame and the winding unit carried by the frame, said winding unit being disposed substantially within the space between said mandrel support members, means on said mandrel support members for carrying a mandrel in a fixed position on said members, said mandrel carrying means comprising a pair of rollers adapted to receive a mandrel end and comprising means for latching said mandrel end into position on said rollers, means for driving said mandrel support members to move said mandrel carrying means from a position at which they receive a mandrel to a position at which a received mandrel may be acted upon by said unit and cam means carried by said frame for actuating said latching means.

10. A mat winding machine for wrapping lengths of a mat of fibrous material about mandrels including in combination a frame, a winding unit carried by said frame, a first rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said first mandrel support member for movement about an axis of rotation with respect to said frame and said winding unit carried by the frame, a second rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said second support member in spaced relationship to said first mandrel support member for movement about said axis of rotation with respect to said frame and the winding unit carried by the frame, said winding unit being disposed substantially within the space between said mandrel support members, means on said mandrel support members for carrying a mandrel in a fixed position on said members and means for driving said mandrel support members to move said mandrel carrying means from a position at which they receive a mandrel to a position at which a received mandrel may be acted upon by'said unit, said mat winding unit comprising a pair of pocket forming rolls, an endless belt carried by said rolls, means mounting said rolls for movement toward each other to form a pocket of said belt about a mandrel carried by said mandrel support members and for movement away from each other to extend a length of said belt between said rolls and drive means for said mounting means.

11. A mat winding machine for wrapping lengths of a mat of fibrous material about mandrels including in combination a frame, a winding unit carried by said frame, a first rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said first mandrel support member for movement about an axis of rotation with respect to said frame and said winding unit carried by the frame, a second rigid mandrel support member, means mounting said second support member in spaced relationship to said first mandrel support member for movement about said axis of rotation with respect to said frame and the Winding unit carried bv-the frame, said winding unit being disposed substantially Within the space between said mandrel supportmembers, means on said mandrel support members for carrying a mandrel in a fixed position on said members and means for driving said mandrel support members to move said mandrel carrying means from a position at which they receive a mandrel to a position at which a received mandrel may be acted upon by said unit, said mat winding unit comprising a pair of pocket forming rolls, an endless belt canied by said rolls, means mounting said roils for movement toward each other to form a pocket of said belt about a mandrel can-led by said mandrel support members and for movement away from each other to extend a length of said belt between said rolls, drive means for said roll mounting means and 10 control means for operating said roll mounting means, drive means to move said rolls to extend a length of said belt between said rolls during movement of said mandrel support members and to move said rolls to form a pocket of said belt about -a mandrel when said mandrel support members come to rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,027 Thorschmidt 2. Aug. 18, 1914 1,199,795 Kilmer Oct. 3, 1916 1,608,193 Stevens Nov. 23, 1926 2,037,348 Stein Apr. 14, 1936 2,385,692 Corbin Sept. 25, 1945 2,586,833 Kohler et al. Feb. 26, 1952 2,600,794 Molloy June 1.7, 1952 2,660,845 Clark Dec. 1, 1953 2,728,532 Bower et al. Dec. 27, 1955 2,791,316 Mullan May 7, 1957 2,821,347 Stephens Jan. 28, 1958 2,848,175 Stephens et al Aug. 19, 1958 

